The 27-year-old was badly hurt by a series of punches from Diaz in the second round and attempted a takedown as a result, but the American finished him off on the ground with a choke.

Fury, who is of Irish descent, has criticised McGregor for tapping the mat too quickly on a night when Holly Holm also lost her women’s bantamweight championship with a submission defeat to Miesha Tate.

The WBA and WBO champion posted a series of tweets on Sunday afternoon, aiming barbs at McGregor and comparing his sport unfavourably to boxing.

The fighting pride of Ireland would not of tapped out so easy @TheNotoriousMMA I would of went sleep first. There can only be 1Tyson fury.